I’m excited to announce that my ADS-B system has been fully upgraded and is now live! After several enhancements, it’s running better than ever, with improved performance and broader data feeds. Here’s a breakdown of the fundamental changes I’ve made:
Antenna and Receiver Upgrades
One of the most significant improvements was moving the filters and low-noise amplifier (LNA) to the attic and positioning them closer to the antenna. This change has significantly boosted signal quality by reducing the cable run length between the antenna and the LNA.
My receivers, for 1090 MHz and 978 MHz, were also upgraded. I’m now using the Airspy R2 and the FlightAware Pro Stick (orange), which are connected to the server in my office. This allows for a stable and efficient data flow directly into the system.
For the 1090 MHz antenna, I upgraded to a DPD Productions antenna, which is about four times taller than the previous one. With its higher gain, it can more effectively pick up weak signals. To top it off, I relocated both antennas to the east side of my house, mounting them above the roofline. This not only improved my height but also expanded my signal reception range.
Virtual Machine Setup
I also transitioned the software platform from a Rock Pi 4b to a virtual machine (VM) running on my Proxmox server. The move to a VM offers several advantages:
Scalability: It’s much easier to scale resources like processing power and memory if needed, ensuring the system remains adaptable as traffic grows.
Remote Access: Managing the system remotely is simpler, allowing me to troubleshoot or adjust settings from anywhere.
Expanded Data Feeds
In addition to the hardware and platform upgrades, I’ve increased the number of data feeds. My system now feeds ADS-B data to FlightAware, PlaneFinder, FlightRadar24, and ADS-B Exchange. This ensures that the data captured by my receivers is shared with multiple services, contributing to a more comprehensive air traffic picture.
With these upgrades, the system performs better than ever, capturing more signals and offering flexibility for future improvements. I’m excited to continue optimizing and sharing data with these networks. Stay tuned for more updates!